Ayira The Cunning
by Violet Rose of Darkness
Summary: While everyone was dealing with Ludo, Toffee, and Meteora, no one knew that there was another trying to claim Mewni for their own. No one knew that there was another Butterfly biding her time until she could take her kingdom. No one knew of Ayira the Cunning, a direct descendant of the Butterfly line, the TRUE Butterfly line.
1. Chapter 1

**So, I got the Book of Spells for Christmas this year and I've been inspired. Also, reading it got me mad at Star. All this information and power and she's only read one chapter. I finished the whole thing in a day! In this story, Star's gonna wish she had read it all the way through. Now, on with the fic!**

OoOoOo

 ** _The Era of the Galaxy, Year 1:_**

 _Mewni has fallen greatly since the time of Skywynne, Queen of Hours. If I allow things to continue as is, it would be an injustice to my people. It it my sworn duty to serve my people and better my kingdom. I can no longer stand by and allow my kingdom to fall to ruin. It is time for change, it is time for something new. It is time for me to take my place on the throne._

 _You may be wondering who I am. My parents gave me the name Ayira. I am not royalty, not yet anyway. I suppose you're thinking, "Why is a simple peasant girl trying to make a claim to the royal throne?" So, I'll tell you._

 _I am the direct descendant of Jushtin The Uncalculated._

 _Don't believe me? Then why do I have these marks on my cheeks despite never having interacted with the Royal Magic Wand? (They're clusters of stars by the way, galaxies if you will.) I am his twelfth great-granddaughter and his only living descendant. His royal blood flows through my veins._

 _Jushtin, as you may already know, was the son of Skywynne, Queen of Hours and her firstborn child. He has a chapter in here, but it's only a few pages because his mother was pregnant with a girl. Solaria the Monster Carver became the next Queen of Mewni after her mother._

 _I think it's rather unfair, actually. Jushtin could not rule Mewni because he was a boy. So that means all Butterfly heirs have to be girls? That's kind of dumb. According to Skywynne, Jushtin had a lot of magical potential when he was young. He could have been great, but was cast aside because of his gender._

 _Then again, after reading his chapter, perhaps it was for the best. Jushtin was not the most prioritized person._

 _Anyway, you might recall that the Book of Spells was destroyed- not pointing any fingers (*cough* Star Butterfly *cough*). Well, I managed to salvage it. It's actually pretty simple, really. All I needed was one of Glossaryck's silkworms and it was good as new in no time! Of course, if Star had read the book, she would know this as well._

 _How did I know this? Why, it was written on the page I just happened to stumble a cross. Well, some of it. I had to work the rest out myself. It took some time, but I eventually figured it out._

 _Future generations, be sure to make a note of this._

 _I have been watching the current Butterfly's for some time and I'm afraid to say that Mewni needs my help. The Royal Magic Wand has been destroyed multiple times, the Book of Spells was stolen and then burned, the princess- though she has good intentions- lacks focus, ambition, and would much rather have fun than serve her kingdom, and the citizens of Mewni are living in poverty while the royals live lavishly._

 _I respect Princess Star's morals, I really do, but she is unfit to be queen. This fact was made apparent when she handed her wand over to Eclipsa, Queen of Darkness._

 _I understand that she felt bad for the loss of Eclipsa's daughter, but she just handed the Butterfly heirloom, along with her throne, over to the literally **Queen of Darkness** (Eclipsa not really being evil is neither here nor there)._

 _Eclipsa is now in charge, but I'm not sure she is much better. She is very intelligent and her spells are powerful, but it also doesn't seem like ruling Mewni is at the top of her list. She would much rather free her lover and live with him and her daughter in peace._

 _Lucky for her, I can make that happen. If she relinquishes the wand and throne over to me, I will free her husband using a spell from this book. Fun fact, the spell was actually made by her other, Solaria._

 _Well, I'm off to see Eclipsa now. Hopefully, we can reach some sort of arrangement._

 _-Ayira, Future Queen of Mewni_

* * *

Ayira closed the giant Book of Spells, more than thankful she had been able to restore it. Although she had always fancied herself clever, without that book, she would have been lost. Now, she had the knowledge and wisdom of every Queen of Mewni at her disposal. She had spent the entire night reading it once she had fixed it, not wanting to waste another second without knowing its secrets.

As she read, she had become increasingly worried about the mindset of some of the queens. Solaria was a bloodthirsty psychopath, Crescenta was controlling and manipulative, and Estrella refused to talk or write anything useful down. Were _these_ the legendary queens every looked up to?

Well, there was no time to dwell on that now. She was going to change things, after all. So, packing some food and the Book of Spells, Ayira set off for the Butterfly castle.

OoOoOo

Ayira dusted herself off as she finished fending off the guards protecting the castle. Beating them had been relatively easy, though she had a feeling that they weren't trying all that hard to defend Eclipsa. The girl sauntered through the halls to where she knew the throne room was. Eclipsa sat upon the queen's throne, a crib- which more than likely contained Meteora- next to her.

The power around the Quuen of Darkness was eminent. The magic she now possessed (thanks to her newly reacquired wand) was practically rolling off her in waves. The look in her eyes was calm, but analytical as she took in anything and everything. Her mind must have been going a mile a minute.

Star was lucky that Eclipsa was never her enemy. She would have never stood a chance if it came to that.

Eclipsa gave a thoughtful hum. "Seems like you've gone through an awful lot to get my attention," she addressed her, those narrow, violet eyes- much like her own- studying her carefully. Her voice was friendly, but she could hear the underlying warning in her tone. "What can I help you with, dear?"

Ayira did not bow. Instead, she just kept looking up at Eclipsa. "I have something you want," she spoke clearly.

Eclipsa raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Really?" she asked. "And what, pray tell, do you have, my dear?"

Ayira took out the Book of Spells. "The key to everything you want," she revealed. She resisted the urge to smirk, though it was hard. Not many could say that they had a leverage over the Queen of Darkness.

Eclipsa gasped and practically jumped out of her throne. "The Books of Spells!" she breathed. "But I thought Toffee-!"

"Destroyed it?" guessed Ayira. "He did. But all it takes is one of Glossaryck's silkworms to restore it."

The Queen regarded her for a moment. "Answer me this, sweetie," she said slowly. "Who are you?"

Ayira finally bowed slightly. If she wanted the throne, she would need to show Eclipsa that she was not a threat. "My name is Ayira, Your Majesty," she answered. "I am the direct descendant of Jushtin The Uncalculated."

Eclipsa's eyes traveled to the girl's cheeks. "I thought your appearance was a bit odd for a normal Mewman," she thought aloud. "And you've inherited the eyes of my grandfather, Gem-robin."

"Much like yourself," observed Ayira.

Eclipsa regarded her for a moment. "What is it that you want?" she asked tentatively.

Ayira looked Eclipsa in the eye, violet meeting violet. "Isn't it obvious?" she responded. "I want the throne."

The Queen stared her down. "Why?" she bit out.

Ayira resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Do you see how the people of this kingdom live?" she almost snapped. "The streets are dirty, the houses are poorly built, and some can't even afford to feed their families. Not to mention the prejudice against monsters. I would leave that to you, Queen Eclipsa, but I know that you would rather not deal with the hassle of being queen again. You wand to leave in peace with your family, something I can understand. Besides, it's going to take a while for Mewmans to accept monsters in normal society. How do you think they'll react to a monster king and a half-monster heir?"

Eclipsa seemed to mull this over in her head. "I suppose this is personal to you?" she guessed.

Ayira flinched, memories of her childhood forcing themselves through her mind. The harsh, cold winters. The many weeks without food. The fever she and her family had, restraining them to their beds. The day her parents were ripped from her...

She blinked, refocusing. Now was not the time to get distracted. She needed to keep her priorities sorted and her mind sharp. "Very," she finally replied, her voice thick with concealed tears.

Eclipsa nodded. "Tell you what, dear," she decided. "I will give you the throne and the wand in exchange for my husband's freedom on one condition."

Ayira's eyes widened slightly. She hadn't expected the Queen to take her deal. However, this one condition did worry her. "Which is?" she asked.

"My condition is that you will not harm Star Butterfly."

Ayira tensed slightly. Of course, she did not want to hurt Star, but she had made peace with the fact that it was inevitable in what she was doing. Agreeing to this deal would leave her open to an attack by the blond should she ever want to reclaim the throne. She could lose everything she worked for.

So, Ayira looked up at Eclipsa. "I will not attack her first," she vowed. "but if she targets me, I have to defend myself. However, should she attack, I promise, not to kill her."

If she and Star ever were to meet, Ayira would be glad to offer the former princess a position among the (soon-to-be) newly former Magic High Commission. Her squire could even join too, if he wanted. They would prove to be valuable members of her court. Not to mention the fact that Star was the most powerful "fake" Butterfly. It would be good to have her on her side.

(It would also be fun to test their skills to see who was the more magically powerful one.)

Eclipsa seemed to think about this for a moment before nodding. "I suppose we have a deal then," she agreed. She held her hand out.

Ayira raised an eyebrow. "If I do that, my hands won't turn black, will they?" she asked warily.

Eclipsa laughed. "Oh, don't worry, dear," she assured her. "You're not doing any dark magic like Moon did. We're simply making a magical promise, just to ensure that we both hold up our end of the bargain. Deal?"

Ayira pursed her lips before taking the Queen's hand in her own. "Deal," she accepted. Immediately, she felt Eclipsa's magic course through her veins and vice versa. Honestly, the older woman's power burned a bit because it was so immense.

Eclipsa pulled back, a thoughtful look on her face. "You're a strong one, aren't you?" she asked. "Can you do wandless magic?"

Ayira shrugged. "A bit," she lied. "Only a few simple spells, though. Though, I've been studying magic my entire life." Not just Mewman magic, either. She had traveled across dimensions, learning as much as she could about magic. In truth, she could actually do a lot of magic.

The Queen nodded. "Smart girl," she commented. She glanced down at the wand, which was in the shape of her umbrella, in her hands. "I suppose you need this to perform the spell?"

Ayira gazed at the beautiful Butterfly heirloom. She had always admired Eclipsa's umbrella. It was so sleek, so _powerful_. It was truly a stunning form for the wand. Tentatively, she reached out and wrapped her fingers around it. Instantly, a bright light came from the wand and it transformed into a gorgeous dagger with a sapphire in the middle of the hilt. Said hilt was also a dark azure. The blade itself was a blinding silver.

Eclipsa hummed in thought. "Interesting," she remarked. "The last queen who wielded a wand in the form of a weapon was-" She stopped before shaking her head. "Well, that's not important." She gestured for the girl to follow her. "Come along, dear. It may take a while to get there, so we ought to head out."

Ayira followed Eclipsa and was left to her thoughts. She had been working for this for so long and now it was finally happening. All she had to do was recite the spell that Solaria had invented and free Globgor. She vaguely wondered why Eclipsa hadn't done this herself, then figured that the Queen might not have remembered the spell her mother made without the Book of Spells at her disposal.

Ayira grinned to herself; it was lucky for Eclipsa that she was here.

OoOoOo

 **I'm trying so hard not to make Ayira OP. If I am, please tell me and I'll fix her. It's hard not to make OCs OP. Anyway, I hope you like it and please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Let me make this clear: this book is _NOT_ bashing Star. I love Star Butterfly to death, she's my favorite character. I was only frustrated with her because of all the knowledge in the Book of Spells. All that power she could have had at her disposal and she only read the first chapter. But, it's Star. I wouldn't trade her for the world.**

 **Anyway, on with the second chapter!**

OoOoOo

Ayira panted as she trekked after Eclipsa up the mountain. "You weren't kidding," she huffed out. "This is quite the journey." Despite fancying herself intelligent and magically advanced, she had never been physically strong. Her body was rather weak due to how she had grown up. She did exercise to keep her body healthy, but she really didn't have much muscle.

Eclipsa also seemed to be a bit worn. "Just a bit further, dear," she assured her. Little Meteora was strapped to her back in a bundle. The half-monster was sleeping peacefully against her mother.

She nodded to herself, taking the Book of Spells from her backpack to keep herself busy. She flipped to Solaria's chapter, going over the spell once more. Ayira groaned; Solaria's chapter always infuriated her because of the curt, short way of her writing. Though, she had to give her thirteenth great-aunt credit; the visuals in her chapter were quite outstanding.

Ayira allowed her eyes to scan over the instructions:

 **One cockerel crow  
One swish of wand  
One right earlobe prick (on sharpened wand blade)**

 **Repeat Backward:  
One left earlobe prick (on sharpened wand blade)  
One wand swish  
One ****cockerel crow**

(As if she didn't have the whole thing memorized. Also, it was a good thing her wand happened to be a dagger. She had no idea how to temporarily change its form.)

As insane as Solaria appeared to be, Ayira had to admit that her battle tactics were amazingly brutal. She took detailed notes on just how to crush her enemies. She was, perhaps, the most informative queen after Skywynne. Although, Solaria seemed to have a tendency to charge forward without thinking, which, in the end, was the cause of her demise.

Finally, the two made it to the large, looming castle. "This is where you lived before you were frozen?" asked Ayira.

Eclipsa nodded. "Yes," she answered quietly. For the first time, the Queen seemed forlorn. "My husband and I fled here shortly after my marriage to Shastacan and had Meteora. Before I knew it, the High Commission ambushed us. Rhombulous froze my husband and then I. The last thing I saw was Hekapoo taking my daughter away..."

Not for the first time, Ayira felt her heart burn with fury at the Magic High Commission. Eclipsa was wrongly imprisoned and, worse of all, they snatched an innocent child from her parents. That was inexcusable and she dearly hoped that every single one of them paid for their acts of injustice.

To make matters worse, Solaria trusted Hekapoo immensely. Solaria also loved Eclipsa more than anything in the galaxy. What would the deceased queen have to say about how her trusted companion treated her monster-loving daughter? Whose side would she be on? Would her love for Eclipsa overshadow her hatred of monsters? Would she have ever accepted Meteora?

So many questions and not enough answers.

"Come along, dear," urged Eclipsa, snapping her out of her thoughts. "My husband's encasement is just up these stairs." Ayira nodded silently and followed.

OoOoOo

Ayira hummed in thought as she slowly approached the frozen Globgor. "So, this is the Prince of Darkness," she mused. It was funny, not once was her husband's real name ever mentioned in Eclipsa's chapter. She supposed that the Queen of Darkness didn't want to reveal too much. "Every bit as frightening as the Commission made him out to be."

"He was a softie once you got to know him," defended Eclipsa. She had shifted Meteora so that the baby was now laying against her chest, her eyes softened as she gazed upon her husband.

"You know, for the longest time, I thought Toffee was your child," admitted Ayira. "I completely overlooked Heinous for some reason or another." Why had she done that again? It was so obvious! Especially with the cheek marks...

"Toffee?" repeated Eclipsa. "Is that not the monster Moon sought my help against?" She chuckled. "That would have been awkward."

Ayira took a breath. "I should get started on freeing him now," she decided firmly, facing the imprisoned monster and gripping the wand. She let out a cockerel crow, swished the wand, and them pricked her earlobe with the blade of a wand. Then, she repeated it backwards, starting with pricking her (other) earlobe. Once she finished, she looked up at Globgor, expectantly.

Nothing happened.

Eclipsa tilted her head. "Are you sure you did it right?" she asked.

"Those are the instructions your mother wrote down," answered Ayira. She was a bit frustrated with herself. Her first spell with the Royal Magic Wand and it was a complete dud!

"Perhaps you need an actual cockerel to crow," Eclipsa suggested.

"I thought about that," Ayira responded. "but your mother was a warrior, which meant she had to cast her spells on her feet. Why would she-?"

She was cut off by a deafening cracking sound in the air. Both women turned to see that the crystal surrounding Globgor was, indeed breaking. The ground began to rumble, causing Ayira to fall to he feet. She quickly got up, using the wall for support. Dust filled the space- blocking their view of Eclipsa's husband- and a mighty roar was heard.

The dust finally cleared, revealing a newly awakened and very ( _very_ ) pissed Globgor.

OoOoOo

Ayira could finally see why Eclipsa and Globgor were such a good match. They were both very intimidating, but in different ways. Eclipsa was calm, cool, and a tiny bit crazed to make people uncomfortable. Globgor was an easily angered, hulking figure that could devour you in an instant. They were perfectly opposite of one another, yet exactly the same.

She would hate to be the Magic High Commission right about now.

Ayira watched as Eclipsa and Meteora reunited with Globgor. The Queen was crying tears of joy as she was enveloped in the monster's arms. Little Meteora was gurgling happily at the sight of her father. Globgor held them both as if he never wanted to let them go again.

She cracked a smile; it always warmed her heart to see families together again. If she couldn't have that, at least others could.

Before she knew it, Ayira was tackled to the ground, Eclipsa's arms around her. "Thank you!" she sobbed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Alright, if the Queen didn't stop, she was going to bring _her_ to tears.

Ayira awkwardly hugged her back. "Y-You're welcome..." She had never been the best at affection. She gently pulled away from the sobbing woman. "I hate to be _that_ person, but the High Commission isn't going to just let you hand over Mewni to me."

Globgor's eyes burned red and she fought off the urge to shiver. "The High Commission will have bigger things to worry about," he growled. Anger practically radiated off of him.

Eclipsa put a comforting hand on his arm. "The Magic High Commission _will_ pay, dearest," she promised him. "but we must act wisely. Even with just the three of them, they are not to be taken lightly."

"Will Glossaryck interfere?" asked Ayira. The three of them could be able to handle Hekapoo, Rhombulous, and Omnitraxus, but Glossaryck could serve as an issue.

She shrugged. "He didn't interfere when Toffee/Ludo took him," she pointed out. "Glossaryck has a habit of seeing how things go. He almost never interferes."

"We'll have to take care of them before the Wand Passing ceremony," said Ayira. "Them interfering could land us _both_ in trouble."

"I'm surprised they haven't tried to imprison me again yet," admitted Eclipsa. "In fact, I haven't seen much of them lately. I suspect they're conspiring to overthrow me once more."

Ayira nodded. "Then we'll have to act fast," she decided, her violet orbs darkening as her eyes narrowed. "and overthrow them first."

OoOoOo

Since the Magic High Commission ambushed Eclipsa and Globgor all those years ago, it only seemed fitting that they ambush them now. Meteora had been left with someone Eclipsa trusted and Ayira had given the Queen the wand back. Since she couldn't do wandless magic, she was going to need it. They stormed into the Magic High Commission's meeting room.

Omnitraxus was, luckily, there in person. Hekapoo and Rhombulous were on either side of him. All three of them jumped up when heard the door bust down. "What is the meaning of this?" Omnitraxus demanded.

Globgor's eyes glow again. " _Justice_ ," he seethed. He tackled the celestial member to the ground. Eclipsa followed her husband's lead, casting a barrage of spells at Rhombulous. Ayira just barely dodged a pair of scissors to the head from Hekapoo.

Ayira might not have been that strong, but she was fast. That was what was saving her head from being sliced off as she evaded Hekapoo's advances. She knew she was at a disadvantage here. While she knew more wandless magic than she had led Eclipsa to believe, she still didn't know as much as she would have liked.

However, she was able to flip Hekapoo into the table. So, that was good.

It took a while, but eventually, the Commission was defeated. Ayira stood over them, Eclipsa and Globgor flanking her. Her violet eyes were narrowed in anger as she gazed upon the pitiful creatures. So many people suffered because of them. And then they had the nerve to act like the good guys. They were nothing but self-righteous narcissists.

They were going to rot for the rest of their days.

Rhombulous looked up to meet her eyes. "Who... Who are you?" he asked weakly.

Ayira, minor burns littering her aching body, leaned down to his level. "I am Ayira," she announced. "A direct descendant of Jushtin the Uncalculated and heir to the throne." She smirked. "The throne that Eclipsa is so graciously giving to me."

Hekapoo looked to Eclipsa, rage burning in her eyes. "We should have killed you when we had the chance," she spat. "I always knew you were a bad seed, I could just never convince your mother. How dare you just hand over the throne to this... _peasant_!"

Ayira's eyes darkened and she brought her heel down to crush Hekapoo's ankle. The Scissors Enforcer howled in pain and she took pleasure in hearing the sound. "Call me a peasant once more and it will be the last thing you ever do," she threatened. "Let's get one thing straight, _Hekapoo_. The peasants are only peasants in this kingdom because you all allow them to be. You've purposely drawn a line, separating royalty from everyone else, just to keep yourselves in power. As long as the royals are eating out of _your_ hand, they'll go with whatever you say."

She had learned of a similar method whilst studying on Earth. The Catholic Churches had power over the monarchies because they had the advantage of being able to read the Bible. They were only in power because the Church allowed them to be. _They_ were the ones who would crown a new ruler. And because they could read, they were able to take advantage of citizens and and monarchies couldn't do anything to stop them. Intellectuals who spoke out or questioned the Church were killed.

It must have been a universal thing.

Which was good, because the monarchies eventually rose above the churches. They seized absolute power and became independent from them. And that was exactly what Ayira planned to do here.

"Once I become Queen of Mewni, Eclipsa and her family will always be treasured allies," she continued. "Any slander on their name will be a slander against the Butterfly family. Do I make myself clear?"

Ayira could feel power well inside her as she spoke with such authority, just begging to be released. She reigned it in, however, keeping her her composure. "You shall all be relieved of your duties," she continued. "I will create a new Magic High Commission, one that's dedicated to Mewni. One that is fair and just and will do its job of protecting the citizens."

"Guards!" called Eclipsa. About seven of them came rushing in. "Take these three away to the dungeons where they can not use their powers." The guards looked at each other, confused.

"You heard her," growled Globgor, his eyes glowing. "Get moving!" They quickly scrambled to do their task.

"You can't do this to me!" shrieked Hekapoo as she was dragged away. "I'm the Scissors Enforcer! You need me!"

Eclipsa was unphased. "You can do your job perfectly fine behind a cell, dear," she replied calmly. Hekapoo let out another screech before she and the other members of the High Commission were taken to the dungeons.

Once they were gone, Globgor turned to Ayira and offered his hand. "Thank you," he said, sincerity dripping from his voice. "For everything. I am forever in your debt."

Ayira, albeit a bit surprised, took his hand. "Take care of your family," she requested firmly. "and your debt will always be paid."

Eclipsa lightly nudged her husband out of the way and gave her a hug. "We can do the ceremony now if you'd like," she offered. "It doesn't have to be a big party or anything."

"No, I want it public," decided Ayira. "I want the Mewmans to know their queen. I want them to know the person that is going to take care of them." She gently pulled away.

Ayira turned to walk out of the room. "Besides, I have some very important letters I want to write," she stated cryptically before exiting the room completely.

OoOoOo

 **I am so sorry, but I despise Hekapoo. There is a bit of bashing of her and (to a lesser extent) the rest of the MHC. Please, no flames. They've done some awful things... If you don't like it, you're more than welcome to stop reading. Anyway, I hope you liked it and please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I am SO sorry for the wait! I've been on a crazy writer's block and my brain's been dead for all my stories. But I managed to muscle my way through this chapter. I hope you all like it!**

OoOoOo

 _Dear Star Butterfly and Marco Diaz,_

 _You do not know me, but I know you. I have been watching you for quite some time. I must say, you both have impressed me. I am writing you now to offer you a once in a lifetime deal. Should you take my offer, the three of us- along with others- will be able to better the lives of both mewmans and monsters on Mewni. I know this is something you both want._

 _If you're interested in my offer and eager to know who I am, come to Butterfly Castle for the ball being held in two days (if you look in the envelope, there should be an invitation). I eagerly await your presence._

 _With the greatest care,  
Ayira_

Eclipsa was looking over her shoulder as she wrote. "Straight to the point, I see," she observed. "I suppose you're not one to beat around the bush. But how can you be so sure that they'll come?"

Ayira smiled to herself. "Oh, they'll come," she assured her. They had to or this ball would be for nothing. "Star's too curious not to and Marco goes with whatever she says."

Eclipsa nodded. "That sounds about right," she commented.

The girl stood from her desk, facing the older woman completely. "How are the preparations for the ball coming?" she asked.

The Queen of Darkness led Ayira through the halls of the castle as they talked. "They're going marvelously," she answered. "We've decorated the ballroom in black and violet, just as you've asked. And, as requested, an invitation has been sent out to every Mewman."

Ayira smiled. "Perfect," she remarked. "Thank you so much, Eclipsa."

Eclipsa smiled back. "It is I who should be thanking you, dear. Mewni is a small price to pay for all you've done for me. And I can tell that it's going to prosper under your rule."

Ayira sighed lightly. "Let us hope so," she whispered. She straightened herself, her tone turning serious. "And there's still no word of the monsters?"

Eclipsa frowned. "It's as if they've all vanished," she answered. "There's no sign of them anywhere on Mewni. Not even Globgor can reach any of them."

Ayira gave a thoughtful hum. "Well, one problem at a time, I guess." Priorities. She'd have to work on improving the lives of mewmans first before moving on to integrate monsters. Star's problem was that she tried to force it. However, as the Earthlings said, Rome wasn't built in a day. It would be a slow process, yes, but in the end it would work out for everyone.

She decided to change the subject. "What of the Magic High Commission?"

"I was able to detain their powers with the wand," answered Eclipsa. "They won't be going anywhere for a long time."

"Hopefully for the rest of their existences," muttered Ayira disdainfully.

"You know, dear, if they become too much of a nuisance..."

"Maybe," Ayira interrupted, knowing exactly where the conversation was going. "If they become more trouble than they're worth, we may have to resort to that."

Eclipsa nodded. "I see." She cleared her throat diplomatically. "There is one thing we should talk about, however."

That caught Ayira's attention. "What is it?"

"Glossaryck," the queen answered. "It seems I've lost track of the little guy. He's simply... vanished."

Ayira mulled this over for a few seconds. No doubt, it had something to do with her. That was to be expected, she was uprooting Mewni at its core. "He'll probably turn up eventually," she mused, trying to make light of the situation. "After all, he left Skywyne on her own for thirteen years and she was arguably the best queen Mewni's ever seen. With you to guide me, I think I'll manage just fine without him."

Eclipsa titled her head in thought. "I think so as well," she agreed, smiling at the girl.

OoOoOo

The ball was well under way.

Of course, it was so short notice that everyone was rushing to get it ready in time. They didn't seem to perturbed, though (it was a known fact that Mewmans loved to party). Eclipsa had taken Ayira into town to get her dress, little Meteora tagging along.

"Do you have an idea of what kind of dress you want, sweetie?" asked the Queen.

Ayira shrugged. "I don't really know about..." She gestured to the boutique. "these things."

"Ah," mumbled Eclipsa in realization. "Well, no trouble there. We'll simply look around, see if anything catches your eye."

After around half an hour, Ayira finally came upon one that took her fancy. Her eyes went wide as she realized that it expressed her in every way. She moved her hand along the soft fabric, admiring it. Could she really have this? Did she even dare to ask for it?

Making up her mind, Ayira shyly held it out to Eclipsa. "I... I think I like this one," she said softly.

Eclipsa examined the dress. It was a deep violet. So deep, in fact, that it was nearly black. It was simple, sleek, and a bit dark, but gracefully flowed outwards as it hit the floor. It had a sweetheart neckline, but probably wouldn't delve to far down the chest.

The Queen smiled. "I suppose this is the one, then," she said gleefully. She turned to call the seamstress. "Madame! We'll take this one!"

The seamstress, a short, plump woman hurried over to them. "Excellent choice, Your Majesty!" she complimented a bit too cheerfully. "Would you like a fitting before you buy it?"

Ayira sent a cautious look towards Eclipsa, one that the Queen of Darkness didn't fail to catch. "Sweetie, you don't have to if you don't want to," she promised. "We can always tweak the dress back at the castle."

The girl looked between them for a moment before shaking her head. "No," she decided softly. "W-We can do the fitting here."

The seamstress clapped her hands. "Wonderful!" she exclaimed. She placed the dress into Ayira's hands. "Go change, dear, and we'll do the fitting fast and easy. It shouldn't take more than an hour."

Ayira titled her head. "How does that work?" she asked.

Eclipsa gestured around them. "These dresses are magical," she explained. "One of the old queens, Lyric I think it was, enchanted this boutique so that the dress perfectly fits the customer. The seamstress then makes whatever adjustments are needed."

The seamstress nodded in confirmation. "Really only hemming," she added. "Sometimes, we'll add a little something extra."

Ayira hesitated, then nodded. "Alright," she agreed. "We can do the fitting here." She slowly made her way to the changing room, closing the door and locking it behind her.

Ayira took a look at her current attire. She wore a simple pair of brown cargo pants and a long-sleeved white shirt. She traveled around the neighboring dimensions quite a bit and had settled on something comfortable for her constant voyaging. Her hair was in a messy bun atop her head, strands strewn all over her face.

All in all, she looked nothing of royalty.

Her right hand curled into a fist. A pretty dress wasn't going to cover up what she really was. Sure, she was a descendant of Jushtin the Uncalculated. She was a descendant of the boy _un_ queen, his own rhyme regarding his chapter as a "sad tale." He was exempt from the throne, replaced by someone more suitable, more practical.

She was nothing more than a peasant trying to act like she was all that. People weren't going to buy her facade for long. Sooner or later, everyone was going to see her for what she really was. An orphan trying to make something of herself among the nobles, trying to claw her way to the top.

Why did she think that she would be able to do this?

There was a soft knock on the door. "Ayira, sweetie?" called Eclipsa. "Are you alright in there?"

Ayira was quick to answer. "Y-Yeah," she stuttered, a sob stuck in her throat. _Don't cry,_ she willed herself. _Don't you dare cry._ "I'm fine." _Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry._ "I-" The sob escaped her throat, ripping from her lips as she pathetically slid to the floor. Her chest felt heavy and there was an unsettling in her stomach.

She was faintly aware of the soft click that came a few seconds later. "Oh, dear," muttered Eclipsa, crouching down next to her. Without a moment of hesitation, she pulled the girl to her chest, running her fingers through her long, dark hair. "It's okay, sweetie. Everything's okay."

"I-I can't do this, Eclipsa," sobbed Ayira, clinging to the older woman. _Pathetic,_ she mentally spat at herself. How could she expect to rule Mewni as the sobbing mess she was. The people needed a strong queen, not one that would break down at the sight of a simple dress.

But it wasn't the dress. At least, not completely. The dress served as a switch of sorts. It was as if she suddenly realized what she was getting into. She thought she could fix Mewni, but what if she ruined it? What if she was rejected by the other kingdoms?

What if, deep down, she would never be anything more than a peasant girl?

"Of course you can," insisted Eclipsa. "I know ruling a kingdom sounds scary, but it's not as if you'll be alone. I told you I would help you and I meant it. I really think you'll do good things for Mewni."

Ayira sniffed. "R-Really?"

Eclipsa nodded encouragingly. "And if it all becomes too much in the future, you just tell me," she said. "I'll be more than happy to take over for you."

That caught Ayira's attention. "You will?" she asked.

"Yes," answered Eclipsa. "But I doubt you'll need it. With the Magic High Commission out of the way, they are no more standards. No more expectations of how a queen should rule."

It took Ayira a few moments to gather herself, but she did eventually. She pulled from Eclipsa's embrace, standing up. "Thank you," she said quietly. "I..." Her eyes wandered to Meteora, who was watching them from her stroller. "I think you're going to do great as a mom."

Eclipsa beamed, standing up herself. "Thank you, dear. Now, let's finish getting this dress fitted, yes?"

Ayira nodded, wiping the stray tears from her face. "Of course."

OoOoOo

More often than not, Ayira found herself captivated by Eclipsa's chapter. Tonight was no exception as she studied the book atop her new bed.

It was a long chapter, only rivaled by Solaria's, Skywyne's, and Crescenta's. She was entranced by the cursive, violet lettering and full of Low-Mewnian writing. Apparently, after ditching her loser of an ex-husband, Eclipsa wrote all her spells in the language of the Old Queens so that no one could read it. This included the one that Queen Moon had sought her out for to defeat Toffee.

It was funny because Ayira had known the language from her own mother a long time ago. It was something that had been passed down in her family, the one thing that confirmed that they were of royal blood. It had been a second language to Ayira throughout her childhood and something that she had kept with her growing up.

Ayira could not, for the life of her, figure out how Eclipsa had been deemed as "evil." She just seemed like a normal teenager to Ayira. She just saw the world differently than her mother and the Magic High Commission did. How did that make her dark?

However, this was not what she was pondering that night.

Eclipsa's chapter was supposed to be locked, only able to be opened by Glossaryck. Ayira knew this because Eclipsa had told her, hearing it from Star Butterfly herself. The problem was, it was never locked for Ayira. She could flip to the Queen of Darkness' chapter with no problem.

She touched the picture of Eclipsa, who was looking regal and mysterious as always, almost expecting some sort of magical shock. But nothing came. No magical residue was left on the chapter.

Ayira didn't think it had anything to do with her at all. It seemed more like the seal had been broken by someone else. Maybe it had been Toffee or Ludo when they both messed with it? Perhaps the destruction of the Book of Spells had destroyed it?

Either way, this was not something to be thinking about in the middle of the night before her coronation. She needed to get a good night's sleep if she was going to be crowned Queen of Mewni.

Maybe the answer would come to her eventually, but tonight she was going to get some sleep, goddammit.

OoOoOo

 **So... that happened. Not the direction I thought this chapter was going, but I hope you enjoyed it. Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I apologize is advance for this chapter.**

OoOoOo

The day of the ball, Ayira was up with the sun.

She found it odd seeing as though she wasn't normally an early riser. On a normal day, she would try for hours to make herself go back to sleep until she finally got tired of it and rolled out of bed. Then, she would proceed to make herself a cup of coffee (full of cream and sugar, of course. How could anyone drink it black?). However, today was not the case.

As of the moment, Ayira was standing atop Butterfly castle, eyes trained on the sunrise. The view from the roof was amazing and the perfect place to watch the sun peek over horizon.

She wondered if other queens did this before their coronation. Were they all as high on anticipation as her? Were they, like her, unable to sleep through the night? Did they know, in this moment, that the rest of their lives were to be decided forever?

Since Ayira's first entry, she did not dare to write in the Book of Spells again. Only a holder of the wand should be doing that. She wanted to wait until after the Wand-Passing Ceremony so that she would be its true owner.

"Miss Ayira."

She turned to see one of the many servants addressing her. "Yes?" she responded.

"Queen Eclipsa has requested your presence," he informed her.

Ayira nodded, though she had no idea how the queen had known where to find her. "Of course," she replied regally. "Lead the way."

OoOoOo

Eclipsa greeted her with a smile. "Well, it's your big day, dear," she reminded her cheerfully. "Are you ready? How do you feel?"

"Nervous," admitted Ayira, playing with her hair long, dark hair. She felt silly doing such a trivial thing when in the presence of the Queen of Darkness. However, she just couldn't help herself. She was so anxious for today that she was struggling to stand still. "But ready." She straightened her posture; it was more befitting of a queen. "Today is the day things change for the better."

"I have no doubt about that, sweetie," Eclipsa assured her. "Now, the maids are going to get you ready for the ball."

She blinked. "Ready?" she repeated.

Eclipsa laughed. "Yes, ready," she answered. "Now, when the ball starts, I will come out first, announce you, and you shall appear at my side. After that, the party will commence. Then, after a few dances, I will pass the Magic Wand and throne to you. Simply enough, really."

Ayira bit her lip. "What if the people don't accept me?" she asked.

The Queen waved her off. "Darling girl, do you think the people accept me now?" she pointed out. "You're not married to a monster, love. The people will happily take you over me."

"Why would they do that when they could have Star?"

Eclipsa grimaced. "The thing about that is that most of the kingdom hates her," she revealed, obviously not happy with this fact. "They've made a complete mockery of her for her actions. As you may know, she's been advocating for the rights of monsters for a while now. And then giving the throne to me..."

Ayira clenched her fist in anger. Mewmans were the hardest type of people to help due to their closed mindedness. Why was she trying to improve their lives again? "The only thing Star Butterfly ever did wrong was rush the process," she stated adamantly.

The older woman sighed. "I agree with you, dear, but I've found that Mewmans are rather hard to convince..."

Ayira crossed her arms. "I blame the Magic High Commission," she huffed.

Eclipsa nodded. "They are the sole culprits," she agreed. "Mewni has looked up to them for generations. All Queens of Mewni have obeyed their word without question." She smirked a bit. "Until me."

Ayira chortled. "People should follow your lead."

The Queen grinned at her. "No," she said. "they should follow yours."

OoOoOo

Ayira tried to stay still as the maids prepared her for the ball. She thought that there were far too many hands on her body at once, but didn't say anything. She just wanted to get this over with so that they could move on to the ball. They were making slight alterations to her dress, not that she really noticed what they were doing. Her mind was focused on other- more important- things.

She really, _really_ hoped that she didn't screw things up. She wanted to be the queen that Mewni needed. And being honest, she had a lot to live up to. As much as she had disagreed with Queen Moon's line of thinking, she had to respect the woman; she was a fantastic ruler. All the previous queens had contributed great things to Mewni, even the crazy ones like Solaria or Crescenta.

Her favorite Queens-excluding Moon and Eclipsa- were definitely Skywynne and Comet.

Skywynne was an intelligent, powerful woman who used her cleverness to help her kingdom when they needed it most. The responsibility was thrust upon her by an uncaring mother and she took it in stride. Not to mention, she didn't have the Book of Spells to help her, having to start the book from scratch. She also didn't have the guidance of Glossaryck, but that didn't stop her.

She liked Comet because of her open mind. She was the only queen who thought to negotiate a peace with the monsters (of course, that didn't end well for her, but that was besides the point) and regarded them as more than just uncultured beasts. Comet was smart in using her food to her advantage. People were a lot more agreeable when their stomachs were full, that was just a fact.

"Lady Ayira?"

Ayira was brought out of her thoughts by one of the maids. "Yes?" she asked, glancing down at her.

The maid couldn't have been older than fourteen and had light, brown hair and friendly honey eyes. "We are finished with your dress," she announced. "Would you like me to do your hair?"

Ayira thought about it, then nodded. "Sure," she answered, stepping down from the platform and sitting at her vanity.

The maid quickly got to work, twisting the girl's dark hair into a long, elegant braid. It actually felt kind of nice. The last person to do her hair had been her mother. After her death, she hadn't bothered with it. The thick strands were simply too much work.

"What's your name?" asked Ayira, her eyes closed.

"My name is Maya, Lady Ayira," answered the maid respectfully.

"How did you end up here, Maya?"

"My family sent me to work for the palace a couple of years ago," Maya replied.

A twelve year old working as a maid? Were her parents out of their minds? "And do you like working here?" Ayira questioned slowly.

"It isn't bad," admitted Maya. "I have food and a place to live and my family receives my wages. What more could I want?"

 _Um, a childhood maybe._ "Nothing, I suppose," mumbled Ayira, trying not to let her disdain show. A kid should be able to be a kid. If Maya wanted to work to make a living for herself, that was one thing, but it sounded like her parents just shipped her off to the palace without a second thought.

Child labor; just another problems she needed to solve.

Maya made the final touched on her hair. "We're finished, Lady Ayira," she said.

Ayira admired the maid's work in the mirror. "This looks really good," she praised. "You'll have to show me how to do this."

Maya blushed. "There's nothing to it, really." She glanced up at the clock. "Goodness, it's almost time for the ball! Come, Lady Ayira. We must get going!" Ayira complied, standing up. She was a bit wobbly in the heels, but she managed to keep up with the maid through the halls. She was led to the massive curtain that had been hung up to keep her a secret until it was time.

Eclipsa was waiting there for here, a large grin on her face. "Are you excited, dear?" she asked. "Because I certainly am!"

Ayira grinned. "It seems to me like you're more excited than I am," she observed.

The queen blushed. "Can you blame me?" She gave her a soft smile. "I'm about to have the life I've always wanted with my daughter and my husband. What could be better?"

"Absolutely nothing," Ayira responded with a genuine smile. Eclipsa deserved to have her daughter and her husband. She also deserved to live out the rest of her days in peace.

"Your Highness," spoke one of the guards, bowing slightly. "All the guests are here and awaiting your appearance."

Eclipsa smiled. "Very well, then." She gestured for the young woman to follow her. "Come along, dear." Ayira did as she was told, trailing after Eclipsa into the large ballroom.

"Now presenting Queen Eclipsa and Lady Ayira!" announced the herald, a small, round man.

"Thank you, thank you," said Eclipsa elegantly, her smile wide and polite. The crowd was silent as they all simply stared at the two. "Hello, my dearest subjects. Thank you all for joining us today. Now, as you may have already guessed, today is a special event, one that only happens every so often. Today, my subjects, is the end of my reign as Queen of Mewni."

There was a collected gasp from the crowd.

Eclipsa seemed to take delight from that. "I know, I know. I only just got the throne back, right? Why would I give it up?" She grinned widely. "Well, that's why my dear friend Ayira is here." She quickly passed her parasol into the young woman's hands and it morphed into the familiar dagger from before. "This, my dears, is a direct descendant of Jushtin The Uncalculated and heir to the Butterfly throne."

Immediately, there was outrage.

"First the Queen of Darkness, and now this?!"

"This girl is even more unfit to be queen than Star was!"

"At least Star was royalty! This girl is a peasant!"

"QUIET!" shouted Ayira and the room went silent at her command. She was growing fed up with these words against her, Star, and Eclipsa. They were probably the only three Queens (aside from Skywynne, that is) that actually cared about Mewni. Although, she had no idea why. "My name is Ayira and I am a direct descendant of Jushtin The Uncalculated. Therefore, I have true Butterfly blood coursing though my veins. Mewni is really in a rut right now and that can't stand. I am going to do what is best for this kingdom. I am going to help it achieve its fullest potential."

Her violet eyes narrowed. "Are you with me?"

Before anyone could answer, the door was suddenly kicked open. In the threshold was none other than Star Butterfly, Marco Diaz at her side. "Hold everything!" she shouted.

Ayira regarded the blond and smiled. "Ah, Star Butterfly," she greeted, moving forward. "We finally meet. I have to say, this is quite the honor."

Marco moved in front of his friend, apparently 'guarding' her. "Who are you?" he demanded. "And why are you trying to take over Mewni?"

Her smile didn't waver. "And of course, Marco Diaz, her squire and trusted companion. It's a pleasure to finally meet you both face-to-face." Her smile twisted into a smirk. "As for your question, I'm not taking over Mewni."

She directed her next statement to everyone in the room. "I'm saving it."

OoOoOo

 **Am I forgiven? Probably not and that's okay.**


End file.
